Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have 5 snakes total with the same habitat set up. I have appropriate sized glass aquariums with screen tops. All of my snakes are native to south Georgia (where I live) so I am using 50 Watt heat lamps with pine straw as a substrate. Also providing each a water bowl large enough for soaking.

Three of my snakes are just fine, however, I have two I am concerned about:

First, I have a grey rat snake that is active and feeding regular but its entire body looks dry. The skin is flakey and looks whiteish in color around each individual scale. The snake is no longer "shiny" as he once was.

Second, I have an eastern kingsnake who has the same problem only a little different. His dryness does not cover the whole body but is in patches or streaks. Also a scale here and there. My kingsnake has also lost appetite but I do not know if this is due to sickness or a the eastern kingsnakes natural tendency to hibernate during winter months. He has not ate now in about 4 weeks.

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated as there are NO exotic vets within miles of my city. THANKS!

Can you post pics?

I would turn off the heat lamps if temps indoors are in the low 70's and try a nice soak for 30 minutes or so with room temp water in a lidded tupperware. Also i would go with aspen or newspaper until the issue is solved. Cover half the screen top with a towel to conserve humidity, I doubt there is much with a heat lamp and open tops. I keep mine on aspen in screened terrariums as well. but live in a super high humid area. Even with large water bowls they can dry out.
Todd Hughes

It sounds like dried on shed. Soak it in room temperature water for 30 min.